Sunday, April 6, 2014

As You Like It, Great Lakes Theatre

(David Anthony Smith as Jaques and Torsten Johnson as Orlando)

If
you are seeking a balm from this past horrendous Winter we’ve all barely
survived, listen up. If your soul aches from hearing storm warnings and
shoveling wet snow and cowering from the next polar vortex, pay attention. If
you are worn out and in need of comfort and a laugh or 20…Great Lakes Theater
has just the prescription.

Their
production of As You Like It,
directed with wit and snap by Edward Morgan, is a simply glorious romp that
lands in C-town at the perfect moment. You needn’t wait until May 2nd
for the world’s largest outdoor chandelier to light up, down the street—this
play will dazzle PlayhouseSquare for the next two weeks. And you’re a bigger
fool than Touchstone if you don’t samples its many delights.

This
version features a brilliant updating by Morgan, setting the play in New
England during the Scott Joplin era. This brings in a couple tunes of the
time (“I Don’t Care”) as well as a barber shop quartet at the top of Act Two.

Betsy
Mugavero as a feisty Rosalind begins as a Gibson Girl and then evolves into a
Suffragette. Trying to avoid the heavy hand of Duke Frederick, the threatened
Rosalind and her gal pal Celia (Christine Weber) dash off to the Arden Forest
where Roz, disguised as the courtly dude Ganymede, sort of/kind of seduces her
heartthrob Orlando (Torsten Johnson).

They
are accompanied into the safe embrace of the forest by Touchstone, a clown
whose verbal and physical hijinks are maximized at every opportunity by the
relentless Dustin Tucker. Fortunately, he is quite funny most of the time,
otherwise he would become a serious irritant. And his lustful pursuit of the
goat-herd Audrey is both desperate and hilarious.

The
preternaturally morose Jaques is played by David Anthony Smith, which means
this downer of a character is actually one of the funnier folks on stage. Once
again, Smith works his magic, turning Jaques’ classic line: “I can suck
melancholy out of a song as a weasel sucks eggs” into a signature laugh line.
And he adds so much contour to the “Seven Ages” speech that it seems almost
fresh to the ear.

Then
there is Silvius (Joan Rivera Lebron) who is pursuing the much-disinterested and
plain-looking Phoebe, given a wonderful turn by Jodi Dominick. When Rosalind
advises her to “sell when you can, you’re not for all markets,” the comment is
made funnier thanks to Dominick’s dour mien.

Indeed,
there are no weak parts in this production, and the neatly efficient set
designed by Russell Metheny—starting with Industrial Age rusted metal and changing
to a dark and welcoming glade of trees—allows the flow of the show to sweep the
audience along.

So
put away your chemical hand warmers, pry yourself out of the La-Z-Boy imprinted
with your body shape, and welcome Spring with As You Like It. You’ll love it.

As
You Like It

Through
April 19, produced by Great Lakes Theater at the Hanna Theatre, 2067 E. 14th
Street, PlayhouseSquare.

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About Me

is an award-winning theater critic, having been named Best Critic in Ohio by both the Press Club of Cleveland and the Society of Professional Journalists. She is currently the theater critic for Cleveland Scene. She has also reviewed plays for The Plain Dealer, Cleveland Free Times and City Pages in Minneapolis, MN. Christine acted and directed locally, primarily at Dobama Theatre, from 1969-1984.